Oscar De La Hoya
Thank you very much. MAY DAY is right around the corner. Obviously, you all know, Floyd Mayweather versus Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero, which will be a 12 round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship, and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship.
We have a tremendous, tremendous lineup as we told everyone. From top to bottom, it’s really, really solid; exciting. The co-main event features Daniel Ponce de Leon versus Abner Mares. That will be a 12-rounder for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight world title. And also, after taking a nice little break after fighting five times last year, he’s back, the exciting, powerful machine, Leo Santa Cruz versus Alexander Munoz. That will be a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight title.
Also on the card, who will be opening up the pay-per-view telecast, will be a great fight that we have lined up thanks to Mayweather Promotions; his fighter J’Leon Love versus Gabriel Rosado, which should be an exciting 10-round vacant Middleweight NABF title fight. This fight is being held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, promoted by Mayweather Promotions and, yours truly, Golden Boy Promotions, sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly. Thank you very much to AT&T, once again, and Star Trek: Into Darkness, and Valvoline. This fight is being distributed by Showtime Pay Per View, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET and 6:00 p.m. PT.
We are thrilled, like I said. Obviously, tickets are and have gone really fast; there’s only a few left. So whoever wants to make it to this event live, you can check it out at the MGM. We also have closed-circuit feed available at the Aria, at the Mandalay Bay, at the Mirage, Monte Carlo and New York, New York, which are priced at $50. So whoever hasn’t been down to a closed-circuit event, it really is an event. It’s like being there live. The atmosphere is unbelievable. It’s really worth the $50 that you’ll be paying.
Now, without further ado, I would like to introduce to you, he is the six-time and four division world champion, and he obviously has had tremendous wins. And most recently, he captured the boxing world’s attention by defeating a former Two-Time World Champion Andre Berto in November in 2012 in thrilling, thrilling fashion. An exciting 12-round, unanimous decision.
Now, obviously he’s in the fight of his life here with Floyd Mayweather. It’s a big opportunity and he’s ready for it. He’s ready for it and May 4th will be just another fight for Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero. He’s a tremendous fighter; strong, fast, durable. He has a record of 31 and 1, with 18 knockouts, out of Gilroy, California, here is Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.
Robert Guerrero
Thank you. Thank you, Oscar, for that. I just want to thank everybody that put this together, Golden Boy, Showtime, my team putting in the work; we’re ready to go.
Q
In the Berto fight, Berto fights a style that’s somewhat similar to Mayweather’s and he seemed to land the right uppercut quite a bit in the straight leg. What plans do you have for holding that punch?
Guerrero
You know, everybody’s a different fighter. You can’t compare Berto to Mayweather, so we’ve been working, we’ve been working on a lot of different things. You go back to the drawing board, you assess your performance the fight before and you work off of that and you start perfecting things, and that’s what we’re doing. We perfected a lot of different things that we’re going to be bringing in the ring and putting the defense together even more tighter, so we’re working on everything.
Q
Excellent. He hasn’t fought in a year, and I think only four times in about the last five or six years. Is there a chance he isn’t taking you seriously or how do you think he’s approaching you?
Guerrero
Oh, most definitely Floyd Mayweather’s taking me seriously. After the beating I put on Berto, you’ve got to take somebody seriously, because you know they come out to punish. So I know for sure Floyd Mayweather is taking me seriously. Especially being out for a whole year, you know, like he said, I mean, it’s been his longest training camp in a long time and he’s putting in the work and the time that he needs to be ready for the fight, but that isn’t going to make a difference, because I know his body size. You can see it. Being a whole year laid off, he’s going to feel the punches.
Q
Have you ever sat out a whole year and fought? And what would that be like?
Guerrero
Yeah, I’ve been out a whole year and fought, and jumped right in with a hard puncher and you can feel the punches different. So it takes a little time to shake that ring rust off.
Q
Does that suggest that you need to go after him early in the fight?
Guerrero
Oh, we’re going to go after him the whole fight. Whether the fight ends early or if it goes 12 rounds, we’re going to go after him the whole fight.
Q
Do you think like some people do right now that maybe – and I’m basing this off of Floyd’s last fight against Cotto – he got a little bit more than we’re used to see him. Do you think that maybe Floyd has slowed down just a little bit to where he might be a little bit easier to hit these days when he was, say, a couple, three years ago?
Guerrero
I think Floyd just didn’t take Cotto too serious. Knowing that Cotto’s slow on his feet, slow hands, I think he overlooked him a bit. But, you know, Floyd Mayweather’s a very sharp fighter and a very smart guy. He made the adjustments and got the job done. So I know Floyd’s going to be ready to go. You can’t underestimate him and you can’t look past anything he brings, because, like I said, if he is slowing down, his slower is faster than almost every other fighter out there.
Q
What do you think about a quote from Floyd referring to you as a hypocrite? I don’t know if you know about that; he was talking about the arrest that you took. Any thoughts on that?
Guerrero
Yeah, you know, we’re all hypocrites. Everyone, you know, if you’re a perfect person, you wouldn’t need Jesus Christ. It just goes to show how much he keeps his head in the Bible and he reads the Bible and how much he believes to call somebody a hypocrite. It’s laughable.
Q
Has this unfortunate incident that happened, has it messed with your head at all as you’re trying to train knowing that you still have to go to court for this whole thing?
Guerrero
No, I’m ready to go. You know, there’s nothing stopping me from winning this fight. All the focus is there. I’m in training camp, I’m ready to go, that’s the bottom line.
Q
Richard Schaefer said that you had the gun with you in New York because going to a shooting range is a hobby and it’s something you like to do in the spare time and kind of blow off steam. Can you comment on that at all and just kind of, you know, why you had it with you?
Guerrero
Yeah, you know what, I’m only going to answer boxing questions and that’s it, so, sorry.
Q
I know you’re training a lot around Mt. Charleston. What do you enjoy most about that? What do you get out of it and what’s, maybe if you can kind of comment on how that contributes to your endurance and that sort of thing.
Guerrero
Well, the top of Mt. Charleston, it tops out like at 10-11,000 feet elevation, so you’re getting the best of both worlds. You’re getting a great run, you add the elevation, it’s great for your endurance. It’s like being out …. We’re out in the farm town and you get out in the country, it reminds you of home.
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Q
Do you think that Floyd Mayweather really means the derogatory things that he says about you in [All Access] or is it just to hype the show?
Guerrero
You know, Floyd’s going to be Floyd. That’s part of his game, just getting under your skin and trying to get you off your game, but it ain’t working. So, he’s in for a fight and he knows he is.
Q
And now that you’re in Vegas and all that other stuff is behind you, is everything completely on schedule here as we approach one week before the big day?
Guerrero
Oh, everything’s great, everything’s going good; I’m ready to go, feeling great. The only thing now is just winning the fight.
Q
Last year I know your publicist, he was campaigning hard for a fight with Floyd Mayweather right around this time. I just want to know what has happened if, I don’t want to say if Floyd called your bluff, but if he granted you the fight, how do you think you would have performed last year as opposed to how ready you are right now?
Guerrero
I’m always ready to fight. No matter what fight or fighter it is. Watch my past fights, even the Berto fight; hey, I’m coming to fight all the time. So, I would have been ready then. But I am really ready now. I was ready then, it’s just now I’m even more ready because I had a fight to break in at 147 pounds. He should have picked the fight a year ago.
Q
Do you think it’s more advantageous that you did in fact get the chance, not only to fight welterweight, but to prove to the world that you are actually one of the best welterweight’s in the world?
Guerrero
Oh yeah, most definitely. I was 135 pounds fighting at 47 and now I have field in solid to 147 pounds, so that will make a big difference.
Q
When you were starting out with your older brother and Fernando and the group at the potato shed, being a nine year old kid and showing promise, can you have imagined where you are now, what’s happening right this moment?
Guerrero
As soon as you step into the boxing gym, your goals as an amateur boxer is to be the best fighter you can be, to go to the Olympics, become professional and become a world champion, so it’s always on your mind. And growing up as a fighter, I mean, every fighter grows up with no doubt in their mind they’re going to be a champion and they’re going to work hard for it. And, you know, we’ve always pictured it and now here it is.
Q
And what does it mean to be from Gilroy, and you stayed there even though you’ve made it in your career, you stayed with your roots and stayed with your family and stayed with your friends where nothing’s changed. What does it mean to represent Gilroy against Mayweather?
Guerrero
It means a lot, because I’m from an agricultural town, all the areas around are agricultural and it’s part of our heritage, growing up in the farms and farm working. So it means a lot, it means a lot, especially fighting Floyd Mayweather and beating him on Cinco de Mayo weekend, because it’s a holiday that’s well celebrated and that will be for our Hispanic roots.
Q
Okay, Robert, now you are a very spiritual person. How has your spirituality played a part in your boxing career?
Guerrero
You know, it plays a big part. Not just in boxing, it plays a big part in my life. You know, outside of the ring, with my family, raising my kids in church, believing in Jesus Christ, it’s a big part of my life and that’s what guides my whole life. That goes through my training camp, boxing, being in the ring. It really is the number one thing in my life.
Q
Now you fought Orlando Salido, who was a pressure fighter, you fought Andre Berto who represents power and speed, you fought warriors such as Katsidis and boxers such as Escobedo and Casamayor. And then there were these hard to deal with styles, such as Jason Litzau and they weren’t easy to deal with. I already believe that you are mentally strong, which is an advantage that most of Floyd’s opponents haven’t had. Does fighting so many different styles along with that mentality, do you believe that makes you the optimum to give Floyd his first loss?
Guerrero
Oh, most definitely. I mean, you hit it right on. Having the proper experience to be in the ring helps build a fighter the right way. Then you get the chance to fight different types of styles, so you have different experiences. Then when a fighter gets to the top they’re ready for it and they stay there. Having the mental experience outside of the ring, inside of the ring, putting all that together as a package, it’s a deadly force.
Q
You are a six-time champion in four different weight classes. That’s a marvelous accomplishment and not many people knew that about you coming in. Do you ever fight with a chip? I mean, do you ever feel underappreciated by people who just don’t know your accomplishments?
Guerrero
No, I don’t. You know, all I do is go out there and fight, set my heart and fight the best I can. If it gets recognized, it gets recognized; if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. But you know what, I know I put God first and he’s blessed me to be in this position. And being in this position, it’s incredible. It’s incredible and it truly is a blessing, and it’s helps me take full advantage of it. After this fight, everybody will know the accomplishments that I have, especially after beating Floyd Mayweather.
Q
You talked a little bit about what it would be like for living on the farm and winning this fight. When you sit by yourself and you dream about beating Floyd Mayweather, tell us a little bit about the inside of what The Ghost feels, the excitement of thinking about beating Floyd Mayweather.
Guerrero
You know, it’s just the opportunity of a lifetime. To be in the sport that I’m in and to be at the top of the game, it’s just a feeling that you have to experience to know how it feels. So, I’m just very blessed and I just can’t wait until after the fight to thank Jesus Christ for blessing me with this huge, huge opportunity.
Q
Now you said you have to know, you have to have that experience to know how it feels. Do you feel more pressure than usual going into this fight?
Guerrero
No, you know what? I haven’t felt that kind of pressure at all. So, you know, being by my wife’s side while she died of cancer, that’s pressure. That’s a lot of pressure, stress. It will break you down. So, coming to this fight, I mean, it’s a blessing, it’s a blessing and there isn’t any pressure there.
Q
You talked a little bit about Floyd being Floyd promoting the fight. When you look back on it was there anything he did that got to you, got to your family?
Guerrero
No, not at all. He can talk, he can say this and that, do whatever he wants, it just doesn’t get to me. It doesn’t get to me because I’m ready for this. I’m mentally ready for this, mentally focused. I’ve been through far worse things than standing in front of Floyd or listening to him talk and getting mad about it. I’m a very grateful and thankful guy, I’m blessed to be in this position, I’m blessed to have my wife here today. I just thank God every day. And by Floyd talking and saying whatever he said and acting the way he acts, it doesn’t bother me at all because I live my life one way and he lives his another way.
Q
Anything that you’ve done to Floyd that you felt like you could look at your wife and say, “We got him.”
Guerrero
No, not at all. You know, I really don’t try to talk down on him or try to get him off his game. Hey, you know what, I know he’s one of the masters at the mental game on breaking guys down and he probably could see right through anything. So, he knows that I’m ready to go and I’m going to go in there and fight and that’s all that matters.
Q
Listen, Robert, when you first got the fight, and I know there was a call with some of the reporters right when you signed for the fight and it was announced, and how you spent some time answering questions talking about one of the things you had said was that you thought that Floyd, at this stage of his career being his age and the layoff and maybe the jail sentence and all that, that he was, I believe the term you used was “right for the picking.” Do you still believe that? I never got the clear answer at that time. When you said that, what sorts of things were you thinking about that led you to believe that this might be the right time to go get Floyd who’s been so flawless for so many years in his boxing?
Guerrero
That’s the way I think about every fighter when they set a fight with me. You know, they’re right for the picking. And I truly believe God puts people in front of you for a reason and God put him in front of me for a reason and I’m going to beat him. So, you know, Floyd Mayweather having a year off and being in jail and stuff like that, it takes a toll on you. No matter what you do, you do have a little ring rust. It’s different from training and sparring, then getting in the fight, so that ring rust is always there until you actually get in that ring and shake it off.
Q
You’re right about that, but he seems to be different from most fighters from the standpoint that he’s had lengthy layoffs. So I wonder, have you watched recent bouts, maybe the Cotto fight, maybe some other fights, and is there anything that you’ve seen specifically in how he’s fought that leads you to believe that maybe the age or the rust is sort of going to catch up to him a little bit?
Guerrero
No when he’s had those year layoffs and came back, everybody was handpicked. He picked a small guy with Marquez. He took Cotto, he knew he could get away with the foot speed and the hand speed. Victor Ortiz, he just took advantage and took the shot, which if you’re so confident, you wouldn’t need to take a shot like that. So, like I said before, he’s going to be fighting Robert Guerrero, and like I said, everybody that signs with me, I think they’re right for the picking because I come to fight.
Q
Obviously you have the record and the resume that you have, but what’s the one thing you think that you do specifically that you think others that have tried have been unsuccessful doing at this point because you’ve been able to maintain that record that you’re going to be better at doing? Whether it’s just power or speed or pressure or whatever the case may be, what in your mind is your greatest asset going into this matchup?
Guerrero
Staying mentally strong and keeping the game plan together, and also being able to change the game plan during the fight when I need to, to make those adjustments. A lot of these other guys weren’t able to do that.
Q
You’ve been asking for this fight for a long time and as opposed to when you were asking for the fight with Marquez, you really, really poured it on and you were very aggressive. Almost to the point of it was almost vicious, and that’s a rare side of you that I don’t see all the time. What is it about this particular fight and this particular fighter that gets under your skin or really gets you charged up? What is it?
Guerrero
It’s not getting under the skin or anything, it’s just wanting to be the best in the sport, wanting to be at the top. With guys like Marquez and Juan Diaz and all these guys that I’ve called down and I’ve been in line to fight, this is the guy. This is the guy. So he’s the man to beat and he’s the man that if you beat him, you’re on top. So we had to attack it aggressively and really push hard. With everybody else, with Marquez, it was win this fight and …and that never happened. And so we had to really push hard. And wanting to fight back to be the best in boxing, hey, we had to do what we had to do.
Q
Robert, a lot of guys are very, have faith, deep faith, and you talk about yours. When you say God put you in this position to humble Floyd, why do you think it’s you as opposed to anyone else? Is it proof of the way you live? Why you specifically?
Guerrero
Not just to humble Floyd, but to humble the boxing world. You get a lot of people out there that think Floyd’s like a god, the way he acts, the way he lives, the way he spends money, the way he boasts about stuff; you get everybody thinking that he’s unstoppable, that nobody could beat him. That with Floyd, there’s no blueprint to beat him. You can’t break him down. But you know what? Being a big believer in God, there’s a blueprint for everybody. There’s a way to beat anything. There’s a way to conquer anything. You put God first, then nothing’s stopping you. That’s what I say, God puts people in front of you for a reason and He puts you in front of people for a reason, and God has me here for a reason.
I look back at my whole career, my whole life, the trials and the tribulations I’ve been through, been right there at the forefront, to be able to become something huge in boxing and I’ve always had to drop two steps back and go a different route. But I’ve always knew that there’s a positive and I’ve always looked at, you know what, it’s a blessing in disguise with whatever happens – the injuries, my wife getting sick – it’s God putting you through the fire to refine you, so when He puts you in that moment, you’re ready to take off and glorify Him. And this is the moment right here. This is the moment, with a guy that nobody thinks that can’t be beat; where everybody’s looking, oh, he’s unstoppable, he’s the best ever, blah, blah, blah, this and that. It’s time, it’s time. God’s putting me in this position for a reason and God’s groomed me and prepped me for this time to take over boxing.
That’s why it’s like a modern day David and Goliath. You got David, who God anointed him and put him through the fire, who took on bears and lions and tigers, wolves, and nobody recognized it. And when it came time to fighting Goliath, everybody thought he was unbeatable. And David came along, took him on and slayed him with a slingshot and some pebbles. That’s why I say, God’s put me in this position for a reason.
Q
Last question is southpaws, two southpaws that have given Floyd trouble, and I’m sure you’ve taken note of this, were DeMarcus Corley and Zab Judah. Do you see anything in the trouble they gave him and is there something even more different about you that can capitalize and kind of finish the job?
Guerrero
Oh definitely the southpaw side gives him trouble. If DeMarcus Corley and Zab Judah didn’t get tired, they were winning that fight and I believe that. I’m ready for this. I’ve had the right fights. I was built the right way. I’ve had the right experience. I’ve been there with a bunch of different styles. I’ve been in there with lefties, a lot of them; I’ve been in with a bunch of different power punchers, prowlers, boxers, sharp guys. But as I say, what I’ve been through, God’s prepped me up for this and here it is.
Q
Mayweather being worried has been well documented in the media. What is it that you feel is of most concern to Team Mayweather?
Guerrero
That he has a young, hungry guy in front of him that can fight and make adjustments just like him. So, he knows he’s there for a fight and he knows come fight night that I’m not backing down.
Q
Over the years, as you’ve moved up in weight, you’ve carried your power very well. Right off the top of your head, which fighter do you feel you have hit the hardest in the ring?
Guerrero
I’m not even sure. I hit these guys. I just hit them and hit them, so it’s hard to say. It’s hard to say. Probably maybe Michael Katsidis. I mean, I hit him with some shots and he kept walking right into them. So, I’d probably have to say him.
Q
Hey, Robert, this is the biggest fight of your life. We already talked about the distractions that you had going into this fight, and in the build-up show on Showtime, saw you get a little snappy when you weren’t able to get your training in. Have you been able to do all the training that you needed to do and how has it been different training for this kind of fight than it has for your past fights?
Guerrero
Yes, I got all the training in. It’s funny to see the show on All Access. The two days I was talking about I hadn’t trained was the weekend, so it was Monday and it was time to get busy. So I was just making sure that we were going to be on training schedule and weren’t going to let none of the media get in the way. So all the training’s been done; I’m ready to go; I’m ready to go right now. Now it’s just winding down until fight night.
Q
You also said that you’ve been wanting this fight for two or three years, so you’ve been thinking about this a lot. What have you seen in Floyd that gives you so much confidence that you’re the man that’s going to take his O away? I heard Oscar talking about the jab is so important. What is your plan, without giving so much of a secret away, what’s your way of fighting Floyd that you have in mind?
Guerrero
You know, being smart in the ring, fighting an intelligent fight. A lot of these guys just come in, they either lose their head or they’re mad at him and all game plans go out the window and also, being able to make the adjustments in the ring. Having the experiences that I’ve had throughout my boxing career and the different weight classes with guys who are fast, guys who are slick, guys who put pressure, guys who are boxer punchers, just having all the experience and putting it all together and being able to recognize to make those adjustments in the ring.
Q
I’ll piggyback off of one statement you said first off. I take it that you do see this fight as a real-life David and Goliath type struggle?
Guerrero
Yes, sir. I do see it as that. A lot of athletes say, “Oh, David and Goliath,” but a lot of people don’t look at the story. They don’t look at the backstory, they just look at when David slew Goliath. That’s all they look at. They don’t look at the whole story, what David’s been through, the preparations he’s been through to be ready for that moment to slay Goliath. People don’t look at that stuff. If you look at my career, you go back and look at everything I’ve been through, inside the ring, outside of the ring, it all leads you up to be ready for moments like this.
Q
So I know you’ve moved up two weight classes. You fought two guys who were expected to be stronger than you and you pretty much manhandled them in both of your fights with them, so do you think that your hand speed and your strength will be a surprising factor for Floyd in this fight?
Guerrero
Oh yeah. It’s going to be a whole lot different for him fighting a southpaw, having quick hands, being able to make adjustments. And also, too, being body strong. A lot of people underestimate how strong I am in the ring. As you’ve seen with Berto, you’ve seen with guys like Michael Katsidis, people underestimate my strength and it really is a big downfall for them. It really makes a difference when you have a strong body, you have fast hands and you have heavy hands, and you also have the skill and the talent to put stuff together and to change different game plans and do different things in the ring and be able to change it up, it really is a game changer for a fighter.
Q
Are you concerned with any tactic, dirty tactics or any other kind of tactics from Floyd? Do you think that they’re concerned with anything like that coming from you?
Guerrero
No, there’s no concern on any dirty tactics. If they get dirty, oh well, they get dirty, but that’s the last thing you think about. That’s the problem with a lot of fighters, they get caught into thinking, oh, this guy’s going to hit me with his elbow or he’s going to use this or that, and that’s all they’re thinking about and it really throws their game off instead of thinking about their game plan and getting to work and doing what they’ve got to do. So I don’t have any no concerns about anything like that. If he has concerns, he better be really concerned.
Swanson
Okay, great. That was our last question for Robert Guerrero and now we are going to transition over to Floyd Mayweather. So, Robert, any last comments before we let you go?
Guerrero
No, I’m just ready to go. Can’t wait until fight night. That’s it. Thank you, God bless and bye.
Floyd Mayweather
I’m on Kelly.
Swanson
Okay, thanks Floyd. Okay, so now I’m going to turn it over to Leonard Ellerbe, Chief Executive Officer of Mayweather Promotions, to make the introduction for Floyd. Leonard?
Leonard Ellerbe
Thank you, Kelly. Thank you all for joining the call today. This has been a fabulous promotion thus far. The promotion is definitely in full swing. You had a chance to see the various platforms we have in place-obviously working with Showtime/CBS. You’ve had a chance to see 30 Days in May. You’ve had a chance to see two episodes of All Access and coming this Saturday on CBS at 8 p.m. Pacific and Eastern you’ll get a chance to see Floyd’s documentary called “Mayweather”, which will be fabulous. With the promotion in full swing and-
Mayweather
Hey L, I didn’t mean to cut you off. Don’t forget about All Access tonight also. Check that out.
Ellerbe
Yes. Be sure to check out All Access tonight. It’s going to be a great show. With that being said, training camp has been great thus far. This has been a phenomenal camp. Floyd has really stepped up. I think you guys will get a chance to see at the weigh in this is the best shape that I personally have seen Floyd in in his whole career. He’s ready to go. His team is ready to go so come May 4th, look for another great Mayweather performance.
So, obviously without further ado, eight time World Champion in five different weight classes, “Money” Mayweather.
Mayweather
Hey, how everybody doing? First, I want to start off by saying I want to thank everybody on this phone for basically helping with the promotion for this fight. I want to thank all the writers that have been writing stories. It’s been a hell of a promotion. I want to thank Kelly Swanson, Leonard Ellerbe, Golden Boy Promotions. I want to thank Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya. I want to let you guys know you guys done a tremendous job and the Golden Boy team and the Golden Boy staff. And Mayweather staff and Mayweather team have done a tremendous job.
Kelly, once again, thank you. I like the way Kelly Swanson-she wrote me letters every day and thank you. You’re the best publicist in the world. I’m not just saying that. I don’t know about anybody else’s publicist that wrote them every day when they were locked up.
And the media-thank you guys for just the stories over the years, for helping me take things to that next level. You guys have been brilliant. You guys have done a phenomenal job and May 4th is another Mayweather week here-May Day. Mayweather versus Guerrero-and I just want everybody to tune in. If you can’t be there, you must buy Pay-Per-View. And what else can I say? It’s boxing. Questions.
Q
I know your camp-you talked about when you announced the fight that your father was going to be training you again for this fight, that Roger would be there also. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about how it came to be that your dad is back with you-I’m sure everybody’s happy to hear that-and talk about what roles each of them will have working together with in preparation for your fight with Robert.
Mayweather
Well, my dad, of course-he’s a boxing wizard and Roger’s a boxing wizard, so you can’t go wrong with either guy. My dad is the main trainer and of course, like I said before, it’s not like I fired anyone. It’s just that my dad’s a little sick, but he’s a lot healthier than Roger is.
Roger’s very, very-his health is not at its best right now and my main focus is I want a guy that’s in my corner that’s sharp and healthy. But he still works day in and day out with me every day as far as and keeping me sharp. But my dad is the main trainer and Roger still works me day in and day out, but fight night, my dad will be working my corner.
Q
And will Roger be in your corner also?
Mayweather
No, I don’t think Roger will be in my corner. I don’t need both in my corner, but both guys are my trainers of course, my dad is the head guy in my corner.
Q
So did you make that decision besides the health issues that your uncle has been having, did you have some sort of revelation as you grow older you wanted to be closer with the family, bring them back in? I mean, your issues are well documented. We saw some of the blowouts that you had in the training camp before-some of the previous fights. And now it’s just-
Mayweather
Well, my thing is trying to leave all of the negative things behind me and trying to focus on the positive and positive thing for me is just going to the gym every day, doing what I’m supposed to do and working hard to be victorious. You know what I’m saying? Far as me talking about what me and my dad-the argument we had in the past or the difference my dad and my uncle had in the past-that’s the past. That’s why we call it the past because we try to leave that in the past and focus on the future and the future should be bright and at this point in time, everything is going the way it should go.
Q
I know it’s probably a sensitive topic, but everybody knows that you spent a couple of months over the summer incarcerated because of the issues that happened. I’m just wondering if you could talk a little bit about when you’re in the middle of doing that-I mean, you know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and you’re getting out in a certain period of time. But I’m sure it’s not easy to be in that situation to begin with even when you know that there’s an end in sight. And I was hoping you could talk a little bit about what you would do during the course of a day and your reflections on what was happening and maybe thinking about your boxing future and how it maybe had changed you as a person to where you are today as you get ready for this fight.
Mayweather
It’s just an obstacle that was in my way. The only thing you can do when you’re locked up is just do push-ups and read and write-write your fans and write to your loved ones. That’s all I really did. So I think what I thought about every day-I thought about my children. I thought about my family. Of course, thought about my career and I’m happy to be home.
Q
Can you express in a manner in how it may have changed you at all?
Mayweather
Well, I mean it just-anybody should know-your freedom is extremely important. There’s nothing more important than freedom. Once you lose your freedom, you understand that. Freedom is very, very important.
Q
Earlier on in your career, you had your uncle Jeff Mayweather assisting Roger with you training. Do you still talk with Uncle Jeff these days and how’s he doing?
Mayweather
Oh, I talk with Jeff on a regular. What my Uncle Jeff is doing now-he’s a trainer that’s on the rise-my Uncle Jeff. He’s training a lot of fighters-not just in the sport of boxing, but he’s also trained a lot of MMA guys. So, he’s very, very busy in today’s time. I see him- I saw him yesterday actually at the boxing gym. He was there and he comes to my every day and works with fighters. So, he’s doing good. His health is good. I’m happy as long as he’s happy.
Q
Floyd, you have adopted Las Vegas as your home. However, you are originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan and of course, in the first episode of All Access it showed you taking the trip back to your home time. Would you consider fighting at Grand Rapids once more before your career is over with?
Mayweather
As of right now, I can’t say what the future holds, but- As of right now, I’ve got to be loyal to who I’m with and MGM Grand is who I’m with. That’s my home and that’s where I love to perform. I can’t know what the future holds for Floyd Mayweather. I’ve been to Grand Rapids in the past and we’ve done some record-breaking numbers, but as of right now, it’s all about the MGM Grand.
Q
Last week we were talking and you talked about being the face of boxing and trying to set an example for your fighters that are in your promotion team. Could you elaborate a little bit about those responsibilities and why you’re taking it so seriously at this stage of your career to set that-?
Mayweather
Well, you know I only have 30 months left, so I want to just help clean the sport up. What I think is really, really great is that how Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions can sit down and do business-sit down and do business-and nobody worries about who’s getting what and make sure that the main thing is what everybody-
What Mayweather Promotions tries to focus on is letting a fighter win. It’s about the fighter winning because the fighter is the talent. The fighter’s the talent. The fighter’s taking all the risk. So we want the fighter to win, but I’m saying like in the past when you used to see Don King and Bob Arum not really see eye-to-eye. Well Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions-we communicate. We talk and we see eye-to-eye.
Like I said before, Mayweather Promotions-we’ve got to be a game changer. We want to be positive … together with any company that’s willing to sit down and negotiate and talk and be on the same level as us because that’s what it’s about in business. But, it’s all about the talent. My main focus is helping guys get to that next level. If we can help guys go to their next level and hopefully someday surpass me that’s whatever we’re trying to do.
Q
I believe on tonight’s All Access show you’re going to be referring to Robert Guerrero as a hypocrite in light of his gun arrest. Can you elaborate on that a little bit for us?
Mayweather
Well, Robert Guerrero was saying that I basically-money is my God. He’d been saying money is my God and I praise money. And you look at the beginning of my career, you know I always gave thanks to God and you go back to the beginning of my career. I’ve always given thanks to God just for blessing me with the ability that I have, blessing me with the talent that I have.
But, like I said before, this is not about religion. You know what I’m saying? What a person does or doesn’t believe in God-this is not about that. This is about two fighters going out there, testing their skills against one another. That’s what this is about.
You know, you’ve seen the story about his wife with cancer and basically I’m not here to talk disrespectful about anybody’s wife, I’m not here to talk disrespectful about nobody’s religion, because I’m not about that. I support different causes. I support breast cancer and I give back to the less fortunate and I don’t have nothing negative to say about this man’s wife. I don’t have anything negative to say about his religion.
The only I was saying’ was basically on one hand you’re trying to be a role model for children at school. You say you’re going to a school. Then you’re going to the 700 Club. But then as you look closely you see he has Marilyn Monroe on the wall in his house and then he’s driving a truck all over somebody’s lawn.
And then a little while later after leaving the school and leaving the 700 Club this guy is going through the airport with a gun and then they were basically making jokes about me, making fun of me, talking about that Floyd Mayweather couldn’t do his time. I could do my time, but who wants to lose their freedom? There’s nothing cool about losing their freedom. Of course I didn’t want to lose my freedom.
But like I said before, what goes around comes around. They were talking trash about me, very, very bad. Joking about me going to jail. You know? It’s time for him to do his time. So basically, like I said before, he had an opinion and I had an opinion and that’s the only way I feel. And I always said, I’m only human. I went out there before and said I’m only human. I contradicted myself. We all have contradicted ourselves because we are human. But like I said, nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes.
Q
Robert seems to think that maybe-he said, “Having a year off and being in jail could take a toll on Floyd Mayweather.” What are your thoughts on that?
Mayweather
If that’s the way to psych yourself out, to build this confidence, then more power to him. Me, myself, I’m in tiptop shape. I’m in tiptop shape, tiptop condition. I’ve been in the gym working hard, working hard. So if that’s the way to psych yourself out, if that’s the way that he can get himself mentally prepared then more power to him.
Q
Just to follow up on that previous question then. So you don’t feel there’s going to be any rust after not fighting for a year? You think he’s wrong? Do you still feel unbeatable?
Mayweather
I mean of course I feel unbeatable. I mean of course I’m in the sport to go down as the best. I’m in the sport to go down as the best. I’m not going into a fight thinking that I’m beatable. Anything is possible. I’m just saying it might. But as far as my career thus far, I feel what I’m capable of doing. I feel that I can adapt.
And I think you don’t just get to this level, you just don’t get to the level, you just don’t get the pinnacle by not facing and fighting the best competition. I just feel like I was before my time. I beat everybody, I beat everybody in the 90s and I beat everybody early on in the 2000s. Now here we go 17 years later. Like I said, my main focus is to win. I focus on winning and I’m always going to be able to control the tempo of any fight because of my experience.
Q
So you don’t have any concerns about the rust, the so-called rust?
Mayweather
Well, like I said, I’ve took a long time off before. I took a long time off before. This is not my first time taking a year off. This is not my first time taking a couple years off. You know, I just call it a vacation. I think the body needs time to heal. The body needs time to rejuvenate. The body needs rest.
Q
[Guerrero] has said God put him in this position to humble you. What do you make of the notion that he says God put him in this position?
Mayweather
I mean I can’t even comment on it. Like I said before, I mean, once again he believes in God. I believe in God. This is not about-this fight is not about church. This fight is not about being a Catholic, being a Christian, being a Jew, being a Muslim. This is about two fighters competing, testing their skills against one another. That’s what it’s about.
Q
The guys who, in the past, have chose to come and fight you, to test you, Ricky Hatton, Diego Corrales, Arturo Gatti, more or less hastened their demise in the fight, got their faces cut up. Cotto had success with that. A large part of that, was that you chose to fight him, stand and fight him more. Do you think he has any option-in know he has some boxing skills, but you think he has any option other than to come to you and fight?
Mayweather
That’s been everybody’s game plan. Just like I know and just like you know, everybody said, “We’ll keep a lot of pressure on Mayweather.” That’s been everybody’s game plan, to keep pressure. You’ve been covering me for I don’t know how many years and everybody’s game plan has been to keep pressure/throw a lot of punches. So like I said before, as long as everybody’s got the same game plan I’m gonna keep having the same game plan.
Q
[Guerrero] had said that he’s fought southpaws that gave you trouble, Corrales and Zab Judah, if he anything like them or-he said southpaw style gives you trouble?
Mayweather
Last time I checked I was 43-0. I don’t think he’s a better boxer than Zab Judah. He’s not faster than Zab Judah. I don’t think he faced the competition that Zab Judah has faced. As far as Corrales, I don’t think-he doesn’t punch as hard as Corrales. I don’t think he’s a harder puncher than Corrales. And we’ll just have to see how the fight plays out.
You guys have covered-everybody’s that’s on this conference call has covered Floyd Mayweather for many, many years. Everybody had a game plan. Everybody game plan was to throw a lot of punches and keep pressure.
But we’ll see how the fight plays out. Everybody has a game plan and my game plan is to just adjust and adapt once I get in that squared circle. But once again, everybody got to adjust and adapt to me because I control the tempo always.
Q
Let me try to rephrase it. Do you feel like you’re in more control now? For most, it just seems like it has a different feel to it. It’s not just Floyd Mayweather fighting in Golden Boy Promotions. It’s not Mayweather Promotions. You’re not just a part of it. Mayweather Promotions is a focal point. It just seems like you have more control on both sides. Would you say-?
Mayweather
It’s more like basically the experience, being around the fight game for so long and just being out here, just coming up with different creative ways to take your fight to the next level. I say the next level as far as the next level I’m always trying to do a record-breaking things.
What’s crazy is I got another documentary coming out this Saturday on CBS called “Mayweather,” and I don’t think you have never seen a fighter that had three shows, three different shows, three different shows for one fight, not three differently completely shows. I’ve got two documentaries and then we’ve got All Access and All Access comes on four or five times and we’ve got two documentaries.
Like I said before, we’re always trying to record-breaking things, doing things outside of the box, but these creative things don’t-my team also has a creative mind. Even Ms. Jackson, she comes up with some ideas and different things. I think that on 30 Days In May she was marvelous.
Q
I know you keep saying you’ve got 30 months left to do it. What do you feel that you have left to do in this sport that you haven’t already done?
Mayweather
Just finish. After this fight I’ve got five more fights. That’s all I got to do. Finish putting them stamps on my legacy.
Q
Is it about wanting to fight anyone or just the matter of, like you said, just kind of recreating the game in those 30 months?
Mayweather
I just want to stay active and continue to go out there to get the fans excitement. Go out there and fight. There’s no specific opponent, because once again, I’ve earned my stripes a long time ago. I’ve proved myself a long time ago. I don’t want to point at one certain guy. “I want to fight this guy. I want to fight that guy.” Like I said, I just take one fight at a time. At this particular time, Robert Guerrero is the guy in front of me. Once I face him then we’ll be ready to fight again in September.
Q
I have just one question then I’ll let everyone else get to it. I brought this up earlier, a year ago Robert Guerrero, he was campaigning hard to try to get at you. Was he even on your radar at the time? I know you were looking at Cotto, but before you agreed to fight Cotto, were you in the thought of fighting Robert Guerrero at that time and what changed your mind?
Mayweather
I’ve got to answer this the right way, the way Leonard Ellerbe wants me to answer it. It’s kind of hard to answer this question. Leonard did let me know the guy-I asked Leonard. He said he did call my name about a year ago, but I didn’t know who he was a year ago. I probably heard of his name, probably heard the name in passing but really never knew who the guy was. They said he fought on my under card when I fought Baldomir. He said he fought on my under card. But he looked good in the fight against Andre Berto. He went out there. He did what he had to do and he fought hard.
Q
A lot of people kind of look back to the fight with Miguel Cotto and pinpoint the fact that you were willing to fight more in the ropes than you generally did kind of in past fights. And you say Guerrero will probably have the same game plan. What would you say is kind of his weakness? What would you say his weakness is? He’s going to try to get you in the ropes, but what would-?
Mayweather
The difference between Miguel Cotto and Robert Guerrero is Miguel Cotto has a lot more experience than he [Guerrero] has. Miguel Cotto came into the fight as a super middleweight at 168. I came in 147. So I was in a super middleweight fighting a welterweight. They’re two total different fighters. Miguel Cotto is a much bigger puncher. So right there that’s the difference in those few things I just told you between the two.
Q
Floyd, just on a previous call Robert said that you handpicked your opponents and an accusation for your opponents actually make. If that’s the case, then you’ve handpicked Robert Guerrero. Let’s just say that you did, obviously we kind of assume that you didn’t, what would you say Robert Guerrero’s obvious weaknesses are, since you apparently handpicked him?
Mayweather
I don’t really know what his weakness are, but he’s flatfooted and he’s more like a grappler. He’s more like a wrestler than a boxer. Like I said before, he’s more like a grappler than a boxer. But I’ve been facing guys forever, and everybody already said what they’re going to do to me and I’ve handpicked opponents. You know they all say, “But he chose the right one this time.” He’s my mandatory so I’m facing my mandatory at WBC. I wanted to defend my WBA title after this fight, but I guess I’m no longer the WBA champ. So I didn’t know I got stripped of my title.
Q
Every fight means a lot to you. What would this one mean to you? Is it just another step in the road?
Mayweather
He’s a solid opponent. I mean I like the guy. The guy is funny to me. When I watch him talk, when I’m watching him talk he’s funny to me. Like I said before, you get a different Robert Guerrero when he’s in front of Floyd Mayweather than the Robert Guerrero that you guys see on All Access.
When he’s in front of me, when we finally had the chance to meet up face-to-face, he had nothing to say. He had no trash talking but once. Once he got to the back of the dressing room, when he was no longer in my face, he had everything to say. Once he’s on All Access and he’s not face-to-face with Floyd Mayweather he got everything to say, but once he’s face-to-face with me he has nothing to say.
Q
What does an opponent have to do to impress you? What do they have to do to kind of impress you or are you very, very hard to impress?
Mayweather
I’m not trying to be impressed by an opponent. I’m going to go out there and do what I do, and that’s just beat the opponent that’s in front of me.
Q
After 17 years in the sport, how can you say that your drive has changed? Or what motivates you compared to when you first started being a boxer and you had yet to achieve the things that you’ve done? What keeps that drive alive now that you’ve achieved so much in boxing?
Mayweather
I guess just the will to win. I’ve still got a lot left. I feel probably if I didn’t’ have anything left then I probably still wouldn’t be in the sport. It’s just the will to win, the will to win. I hadn’t really took punishment in this sport so I still have a lot left because I haven’t took any punishment. If I took a lot of punishment then I probably would’ve hung the gloves up by now.
Q
Well talk about when you first started. When you first started being a boxer, a professional, your first professional match, was the sport everything you thought it would be? Were you a wide-eyed young man-?
Mayweather
No, it’s not everything I thought. It’s a lot of good and-of course it’s like anything. You have a lot of good days in the sport. There are a lot of good things that go on but also there’s a lot of bad things, more bad than good. My goal is just to try to clean up the sport of boxing so the sport can live on.
Q
Well what’s been the key of, I guess, your staying power? When a lot of the guys that were fighting at the same time you were, they’re no longer in the sport. They’ve gone. They’re nowhere to be seen. You, you have just increased your stock almost with each passing year into the stratosphere, so to speak.
Mayweather
It’s just more like basically I think there are a lot of fighters that are content. They’re happy. If it’s 100 levels you’ve got fighters who are happy with just going to level 10, level 20. If I go to 100, I’m not happy with just going to 100. I feel like there’s still more levels to go to. You can never be content. You can never be happy. Continue to try to grow. Continue to try to get better.
Mayweather
You know, I never abuse my body. As far as the alcohol and the drugs, I never abuse my body, whereas you got other fighters they abuse their body with alcohol and some abuse their body with drugs and some let their weight balloon up 30 and 40 pounds. Me, myself, stayed right at my fighting weight.
Actually, I weighed out yesterday in the gym at 147. The day before that I weighed 147 so my weight was made from the beginning of training camp because you have to be-as far as with the boxing, you have to be-this is a year-round sport. This is a year-round sport and I’m dedicated to it. I’m dedicated to it. I’m dedicated to my craft.
Q
You mentioned you grew up in Grand Rapids and you were probably close to an element that has probably taken a lot of people down to your neighborhood, things like drugs and alcohol and things like that. How were you able to keep yourself from that element, stay away from that? How were you able to do that?
Mayweather
Just living and learning from watching. Keeping my eyes open wide. Just watching. Everybody in my neighborhood-as far as hustling, you can make a lot of money but it ends in two ways, either in a jail cell or a coffin. I looked at the bigger picture. I’d rather take my chances with this boxing than taking my chances doing anything that could put me in a predicament that I don’t want to be in. So that’s why I chose boxing.
Q
Last question’s just about, Floyd, you talked about wanting to set records. You set a lot of Pay-Per-View records. That’s all on the record. But in terms of making this fight a blockbuster, is more of that pressure now on you to sell this fight given that Guerrero’s not as well known as Cotto was? He’s not as well-known as Mosley was and he doesn’t’ have all that dynamic of a personality. So is there a lot more pressure on you now to make people want to buy this fight?
Mayweather
He’s a young, tough competitor. He talks a good game so now we’ll just have to see if he can fight the same way he talk. He’s doing a hell of a job with helping promote the fight. He’s doing a hell of a job. Like I said before, every time I think about the guy I smile and I laugh because he’s a funny character. One thing about him, him and his dad, they both got personality. If I can say nothing else about him, they both got personality, him and his father.
Q
You talked a little bit about in the call about the fact that the contract is 30 months. And I’m wondering, when you say that it’s 30 months does that mean that after 30 months you want to retire or do you want to just asses it and maybe find some other deal wherever, whether again with Showtime or somewhere else or are you thinking that 30 months that’s a wrap?
Mayweather
I don’t know yet. I don’t know. By 30 months I’d be knocking a door, but I really don’t know. We just have to see how these next six fights play out.
Q
I know that the length of the agreement is for as many as six fights over 30 months, but is your intention going into this thing to actually fight six times during 30 months because that would be pretty much as busy as you’ve been even going back to maybe when you first won your first world championship?
Mayweather
I’m going to stay active. I think the more active and more busier I think it would be more better for me; it’d be more better for my fans.
Q
Do you think that at your age your body would allow you to have that many fights in succession over that short period of time?
Mayweather
Absolutely. I think so. We’ll just have to see. Only time will tell. We’ll see.
Swanson
Floyd, any final comments and then we’ll let you go?
Mayweather
I want to thank everybody that called in on the conference call and once again thank my team, thank you for the promotions. You guys all go to TheMoneyTeam.com. Buy a hat. Buy a shirt. And I’ll see you guys May Day Weekend. Thanks for all the stories that you guys wrote thus far covering this fight. Kelly, you’ve done a hell of a job. Thank you and I appreciate you.
END OF CALL
“MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero,” a 12-round fight for Mayweather’s WBC Welterweight World Championship and the vacant Ring Magazine Welterweight World Championship, is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions and sponsored by Corona, O’Reilly Auto Parts, AT&T, Star Trek Into Darkness and Valvoline. The mega-event will take place Saturday, May 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be produced and distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event can be heard in Spanish using secondary audio programming (SAP). Also featured will be WBC Featherweight World Champion Daniel Ponce de Leon taking on Two-Division World Champion Abner Mares in a 12-round fight for Ponce de Leon’s WBC Featherweight World Championship, former IBF Bantamweight World Champion Leo Santa Cruz facing veteran Alexander Munoz in a 10-round fight for the vacant USBA Junior Featherweight Championship and rising star J’Leon Love squaring off against recent world title challenger Gabriel Rosado in a 10-round middleweight battle for the vacant NABF Middleweight Championship.
Remaining tickets for “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” priced at $1,500, $1,250, $800 and $600, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
General admission tickets for the “MAY DAY: Mayweather vs. Guerrero” closed circuit telecasts are priced at $50, not including handling fees, and are available for purchase at each individual property’s box office outlets and will also be available for purchase by phone with a major credit card at 866-799-7711. Ticket sales are limited to eight (8) per person. Tickets also are available through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
